Switch and fuse construction.



H. L. VAN VALKENBURG.

SWITCH AND FUSE CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 21, I913- Patented July 3, 191?.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

H. L. VAN VALKENBURG.

SWITCH AND FUSE CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION men APR. 2|. 1913.

Patented July 3, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H. L. VAN VALKENBURG.

SWITCH AND FUSE CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICAT ION FILED APR..2I| I913.

Patented July 3, 1917.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

W g Q. N Hcrmovvl vin/mafg.

b he vq%rnaygr H. L. VAN VALKENBURG. SWITCH AND FUSE CONSTRUCTION.

A PPLICATION FILED APR-21.19I3.

Patented July 3, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4 Switch HEBMON L. VAN VALKENL BUBG, 0E EDGEWATER PARK, NEW JERSEY.

-SWITCH -AND FUSE CONSTRUCTION.-

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April-21, 1913, Serial No. 762,713.

To all whom it. may concern:

I Be, it lnmwnthat I, ,HERMON L. VAN VALKENBURG, a citizenof the United. States; residing in Edgewater Park, New; Jersey, have invented certain Improvements in and Fuse ConstruQtibn- .of' which the, following is a specification.

My invention relates to; a novel construction and combination of switching apparatus especially designed for use in. connection with electric distributing systems such a e empl d i t e t i t w irinsi of buildings, and one object 0 said inventionv is to provide novel anran Qment ef switch and fuse units which'shal lie/capable 'of performing the functions of the ordinary. distributing or panelzboards;

v Another-object of the-invention is. toprovide a, novel combination of apparatus such asabove indicated, which in addition-to being of such a nature as to be preeminently safe under operating conditions, shall be of such design as. to penmit. certain. of

its parts. being cenveniently an quickly removed and inserted: when this may be desirable.

1; also desire to provide a novel combination of switchand fuse units. which will permit said units being conveniently mounted in. groups of any number within a suitable cabinet; the switch mechanism being of such construction as to allow any of the switch units beingv quickly removed and replaced without in any way disturbing or. removing the fuse units or the femaining. switch units.

The invention further v novel construction of electric switchwhereby the above objects may be-obtained, together with a novel construction of insulating base and bus bar mounting particularly designed to cooperate with the. removable fuse members; it being also desired that. the apparatus in: addition to being effectually protected from damage due to shortfcircuits, shall in addition be relatively simple, compact, inexpensive in construction and not likely ,to get out of ordervor require repairs.

Another object of the invention is to provide a'switch' of nov'elfor'm in which. the

connection between the base and certain recontemplates a movable mechanism may be made by 011 or more substantial screwed, joints.

These objects I attain as'hereinafter set forth, reference being had to theaccom pe yin f raw g n. wh h,

Figure. 1 is'a plan of a cabinet containing electrical apparatus. arran ed and constructed (according to. my 'Inyention, the

av -fi tin h wcasbr ken a y-i R f to -better'il'lustlfat'e tl ieinvention;

Fig. 2 1s a vertical section"'on the line a-a, Fig. l; 7 I

Fig. 3 fis a plan of one of the switch and fuse'uni'ts constructed according to my invention, the fuse and its cover being removed from one ofvth'e fuse receptacles;

Fig. {is a-vertioai seetion on the line o.b, Fig. 3, showing certain parts'of the apparatus in side elevation and'illustrating the re ative position of the cabinet cover;

.Fig. 5 is an, elevation of the unit structure shown. in 3 'Figs. 6 and"? are respectively a plan and an end elevation of a slightly'modified form 0 switch unit designed without, fuses;

' Figs. 8 and 9 are vertical sections on the lines c0 and d-cl Fig: 6respectively, and

Figs. 1'0 .-to 12 inclusive, are end elevations showing modifications of my invention.

In Figs. 1 to 5 of the above drawings, 1 represents a metallic 'or other suitable box or cabinet providedwith a conveniently removable cover plate 2'and having in its sides any desirednumber of openings for the receptionof insulating or other bushings or conduits designed to carry electrical conuctors. In the case shown, two supply conductors 3 4 enter the cabinet through openings in one end thereofv and for the sake of illustration I have shown a single pair of branch eonductorse and 5' as leaving the cabinet atone side though obviously there is one pair for each switch and fuse unit hereafter described.

Within theboX are mounted any desired number of unit bases 6 usually made of porcelain or other insulating material having a generally elongated form and substantially rectangular in seetion. These unit bases are mo u'ntedl parallel" to each other transversely of the'-box,,and one. distinguish- Patented J my 3, 1917.

usually adjacent their opposite ing characteristic of my invention resides in the provision in each of themof transversely extending holes or passages and 8, ends. There is thus provided through the whole series of unit bases, two continuous, closed and substantially straight conduits, in which are mounted two bus bars 9 and 10 respectively sweated or otherwise electrically connected to the two supply conductors 3 and-4.

' The said bars are preferably will be noted that to all intents and purposes they are completely inclosed by the insulating structures of the unit bases,their lengths being such as to bring their free ends within the unit base most distant from the conductors 3 and 4. As best shown in Figs. 3 to 5, each of the unit bases has cavities extending vertically from its top face into the passages 7 and 8 respectively and between each of these cavities has a third cavity 11 also extending downwardly from its top surface. Surrounding each of. the vertical cavities leading to the bus bar passage 7 and 8 and sunk a short distance below the top surface of the unit base is an annular plate 11 held in place by a screw 12 and having a threaded shell 13 soldered or otherwise electrically connected to it concentrically with the cavity to which it is adjacent. Each plate has a lug 14 extended toward the cavity 11 and each of said lugs has mounted in it a connecting screw 15, while the screw 12 has its head counter-sunk in the under surface of the unit base. Each of the screws 15 is provided with a removable nut 16 which however, is ordinarily retained within a switch structure hereafter described.

Extending inwardly from each end of the unit base and preferably within an upwardly opening channel at. some distance below the annular plate 11, is a terminal strip 17 whose inner end, like the inner end of the lug 14, stops immediately adjacent the edge of the central cavity 11*.

\Vithin each of the vertical cavities leading to the bus bar passages 7 and 8 I mount a removable cartridge fuse 18, and the parts of my invention are so proportioned that fuse cartridges of standard dimensions project a short distance above the cover plate 2 of the cabinet 1 which is provided with holes concentric with said vertical cavities through which said cartridges may be inserted and removed. On each of the threaded shells 13, I mount a fuse cap in the form of a hollow head 19 within which is a contact plate 20 having a threaded shell 21 electrically connected thereto and of such dimensions as to be capable of screwing into said shell 13. v

Each ofthe terminal strips 17 has a connecting screw or binding post 22 adjacent the end of the unit base, and at its opposite flat and it end is in electrical connection with a screw 23on which is mounted a nut 24, which, like the nut 16 on the screw 15 is removable, though preferably permanently mounted in the switch structure. I preferably also provide a holding screw 25 whereby the terminal strip 17 is held to the unit base.

Within the cavity 11 isremovably mounted a switch structure of the double pole push type having two terminals at each end,

preferably made in the form of metallic strips of which two are shown at 26 and 27,

' Fig. 4. Each of the strips 26 is perforated to fit over the upwardly projecting end of one of the screws 23 while the strips 27 are similarly perforated to receive the screws 15.

It is to be noted that while the strip 17 at one end of the unit section is adjacent the right hand side thereof, for example, the second strip 17 at the other end of the base, is at the opposite side thereof, and similarly, the two lugs 14 of the annular plates 11 are adjacent opposite sides of the unit base, as are .also their coiiperating screws. a

The blade contact mechanism of the switch has not been shown in detail inasmuch as it forms no part of my invention and is well understood bythose skilled in the art, though I have illustrated said switch as including a block 30 of insulating material in which are guided two push buttons 31 and 32 and on which are carried the four fixed contacts respectively connected to the two pairs of strips 26 and 27 Two of said fixed contacts 33 and 34 are simultaneously engaged to permit of current flow through the strip 26 and the switch to the strip 27.

The two sets of strips 26 and 27 are preferably so mounted as to confine the nuts 16 and 24 within suitably formed cavities of the switch block 30 in order to prevent their removal, though said cavities open on the top surface of the block in orderto permit of the insertion of a screw driver whereby said nuts may be set up on or removed from the screws 15 and 23.

Then the two switch blades (of which one is shown at 35) engage their respective contacts 33 and 34, and the fuses 18 with their respective covers are in place, there are thus established two circuits, each of which passes from a bus bar, through one of the cartridge fuses 18 tothe contact 20 of the corresponding fuse cap 19, through one set of the shells 21 and 13, plate 11, lug 14 and strip the switch contacts 34 and 33 with their. corresponding blade strip 26, one of the terminal strips 17 and its binding post or screw 22, to the branch circuit.

connected thereto, through one set of When a. number of unit bases similar to that described, are mounted within a box 1, with the bus bars 9 and 10 extending through their passages, the fuse caps 19 as well as the push buttons 31 and 32, project through the cover plate 2, while absolutely all other. parts of the apparatus are completely in'closed. The branch conductors 5 and 5% for each of the unit bases, enter one orthe other side of the cabinet 1. and while one of them extends directly to the adjacent binding screw 22, the other extends through a passage-way provided by two longitudinally extending recesses 36 in the adjacent lower longitudinal edges of the unit bases, to

the opposite end of the latter, from which it passes upwardly to the binding screw 22 in the second terminal strip 17 belonging to the first unit base.

Each pair of adjacent unit bases thus pro-V vides a' conduit for that one of the two branch conductors which has to be connected to the binding screw 22 distant from the side of the box 1 entered by the two conductors 5 and 5 The extended conductor is thus inclosed by the insulating material of said bases so as to' be completely protected fromthe efiects of any short circome into accidental contact withcuit which might occur-in the apparatus, although such an occurrence ispractica-lly impossible under conditions of use, since even if the cover plate 2 is removed, the various terminals and connecting parts are separated from each other as well asmounted below the top surface of the unit base, while the bus bars are completely inclosed as above noted.

The cover plate 2 maybe convenientlyremoved for purposes of change or inspection, although the fuses 18 may be very conveniently inserted or removed merely by taking off the fuse caps 19. Should it be desirable to remove one or more of the switches, it is only necessary that the two pairs of nuts 16 and 24 should be backed off by means of a screw driver, whereupon the switch to which they belong may be bodily taken out without disturbing any other part of the apparatus and without danger of short circuiting any of the par By reason of the peculiar-mounting of the screws 15 and '23, this removal may be accomplished with the greatest ease and safety, since the screw drivercommonly employed is confined within the cavity inwhich each of the nuts is mounted so it cannot any other part of the device, and in addition the nuts are retained in their cavities so that they cannot be lost.

Moreover by the arrangement of parts above described,- the various unit bases with their associated parts may be mounted directly upon the bottom or backpart of the metallic cabinet, without requiring a slab or placed and the unit base structures with their bus bars mounted therein, when'the building is partly completed. Thereafter at any desired time, the more delicate parts of the apparatus, such as the switch and fuses, may be'inserted to permit of current being supplied, without the danger otherwise present when temporary connections are made.

By providing the positive screw connections for the switch mechanism, the probability of failure or injury is materially reduced, since good contact is insured between each of the switch terminals and its associated plate or terminal strip, and at the Same time it is possible to quickly and conveniently remove the switch whenever desired.

In that form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive, the switch mechanism is shown as slightly modified for use without fuses in a small box or recess independently of any other apparatus. In such case there is as before an insulating block 30 -porcelain or other insulating container 6 into which fits the removable switch mechanism constituted by the block 30 with its attached parts.

At each end of the container 6 is provided a pair of screws 15' whose heads are mounted in counter-sunk recesses and whose threaded ends extend upwardly in positions to engage the free ends of the connecting strips 26 and 27 respectively. In addition there are provided nuts 16 which as before are accessible from the top surface of the structure, as are also the holding nuts 10 on each of the screws 15 Between each pair of the screws 15 at each end of the structure 6' is a pair of vertically extending holes 41 for the reception of electrical conductors 42, the arrangement being such that those end portions of the hollow base 6 in which said screws 15 are mounted, are overhung so as to permit of a short ninety degree bend in each of the conductors, so that it may be easily entered in its hole 41. The end of each conductor,

after being passed through said hole, is bent around the adjacent end of the screw 15". The switch mechanism may now be inserted in the insulating base 6" with its contact strips 26 and 27 in engagement with their respective screws and the nuts16 are applied, thus electrically connecting each of said strips with the proper conductor as is.

desired.

As before, in case it should become necessary to remove the switch, the unscrewing of the nuts 16 will at once permit of the removal of the switch mechanism, without in any way disturbing the conductors 42 or the other parts of the device. For mounting the apparatus as a whole in a box or cabinet, I provide it at each end with a slotted lug d3 of the well known form, which may be connected to it in any desired manner.

It is obvious that without departing from my v invention, bars 9 and 10 may be formed in the various ways indicated in Figs. 10 to 12 inclusive. In the first of these, each of the bases may have a transversely extending recess formed adjacent each of its lower corners and small blocks or bars 6 of insulating material of less thickness than the depth of the recesses may be provided to approximately fit the same, the busbars being respectively mounted in the recesses upon the said blocks (3.

In. the case of Fig. 11, transverse channels 7* of a depth but little more than the thickness of the bus bars are formed in the bottom face of the insulating bases which are mounted on an insulating plate 6 extending completely under them and inclosing said bus bars in said channels. As in Fig. 12 the depth of these channels may be made considerably greater than the thickness of the bus bars and be closed, except for the bus bar receiving space, by insulating pieces (3, which like the blocks 6 are flush with the bottom face of the base.

I claim 2- 1. The combination of a plurality of unit bases of insulating material mounted side by side and each having recesses on opposite sides so placed that each adjacent pair forms a channel; terminals respectively at opposite ends of said bases; electric current controlling apparatus mounted on the unit bases and connected to said terminals; and conductors connected to the terminals of the the channels for the two bus several unit bases, of which one at least of each base passes through one of said chan nels.

2. The combination of an insulating block extending transversely of the block; a double pole switch in the middle recess; terminals respectively mounted at the opposite ends of the block; and means for electrically connecting each of said terminals, through the switch, with'one of the fuses.

The combination of an-insulating block having three recesses; cartridge fuses mounted respectively in the two end recesses perpendicular to the face of the block and in positions to connect with supply conductors extending transversely of the block; a double pole switch in the middle recess; terminals respectively mounted at the opposite ends of the block; and means for electrically 'con Y necting each of said terminals, through the switch, with that one of the fuseswhich is mounted at the opposite end of the'block.

e. The combination of an insulating block having fuse cavities adjacent its opposite ends and provided with recesses in its front face respectively by the sides of said cavities; conductors mounted in said recesses and provided" with terminals; a second set of conductors also on the front face of the block extending respectively adjacent the cavities and at a level different from that of the conductors in the recesses; a double pole switch connected to the conductors of the two sets; and means for electrically connecting the conductors with supply means.

5. The combination of a unit base including a block having a recess; a pair of threaded members permanently mounted on the block adjacent said recess; with a switch removably mounted inthe recess and provided with strip conductors at eacli end. perforated for the reception of said threaded members respectively; and, nuts for said members. V

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HERMON L. VAN VALKENBURG, Witnesses EDWARD S. BECKER, L. A. PERKINS. 

